Device for cleaning and disinfecting



Dec. 9, 1969 o. H. HALLSTROM ETAL 3,482,931

DEVICE FOR CLEANING AND DISINFECTING Filed May 20, 1966 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 l OLOF HENRI/f HALLsrw/w and mvazv'rozasq GUN/VAR /VAR FREDHOL/ I EWZQW Dec. 9. 1969 o. H. HALLsTRdM, ETAL 3,432,931

DEVICE FOR CLEANING AND DISINFECTING Filed May 20, 1966 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 01 0F HEN/WK HALLsrRdM and INVENTORS.

GuA/NAR l/AR FREDHOLM WZZ%- ATTORNEY.

Dec. 9, 1969 o. H. HAL.L$TROM ETAL DEVICE FOR CLEANING AND DISINFECTING 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed May 20, 1966 5 MmM TW 0 L E L R. A F H R m A d NB Nn EQR H M F MW 0 G 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 ofH. HALLSTROMI ETAL DEVICE FOR CLEANING AND DISINFECTING Decl- 9, 1969 Filed May 20, 1966 'Dec. 9, 1-969 o. H. HALLsTRbM ETAL 3,482,931 3 I DEVICE FOR CLEANING AND DISINFECTING Filed May 20, 1966 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 OLOF HENR/K fiALLsrR/w and I NVEN I'ORS GUN/VAR /VAR FRsaHoL l' ATTORNEY.

United States Patent US. Cl. 21-91 9 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE Apparatus having two communicating chambers separated by a partition having through passages, in which one chamber receives bedding to be cleaned, includes selectively controllable means to circulate air or air and a disinfectant through the partition. The bedding rests upon the partition and by vibrating the partition dust may be shaken out of the bedding.

The present invention relates to a device for carrying out cleaning and disinfection processes by removing dust from bedclothes, such as mattresses, pillows, etc., and a subsequent process of disinfection by passing a disinfectant in the form of mist, steam or gas through said mattress or the like.

The number of beds in modern hospitabls is very high and the lying-in time has been reduced to a minimum. At the same time the requirements placed on bed hygiene have greatly increased. Bedclothes, for instance mattresses, must be cleaned and disinfected more often than was previously the case. The old method of beating and brushing the mattresses is still used in certain places and special balconies have been built for this purpose. This method has now been substantially replaced by apparatus which suck the dust out from the mattresses. In the most modern apparatus the cleaning effect has been amplified by vibrating the mattress at the same time as the dirt is being sucked out. To avoid the time consuming and unhygienic method of conveying said mattresses to a central cleaning area, these apparatus can be installed to advantage in every ward in the hospital but this measure is only effective to a limited degree. Occasionally the mattresses must undergo a process of disinfection and in spite of the fact that the apparatus used for disinfecting bedclothes are well known and appear in every hospital, to install a disinfecting apparatus in each ward in addition to the aforementioned cleaning apparatus cannot be defended economically. Even if the total cost of the two apparatuses could be accepted they would require too much space and use too much of the time of the already insuflicient hospital staff.

To avoid these drawbacks and at the same time lower the purchasing price and installation costs as well as reduce the necessary space a device is provided by this invention in which cleaning as well as disinfection can be carried out in one and the same device. For this purpose the device according to the invention is characterized in that a space for performing cleaning and disinfecting processes and which is capable of being completely closed from the air surrounding said device, is divided into two chambers by means of a partition Wall having suitable grid-openings which are arranged to be completely or partly covered by the article to be cleaned and disinfected, and that one chamber is connected to the suction side of a fan device While the other chamher, for instance via valve means, can be connected to either the air surrounding the device or to the fan for circulating the air through the article covering said openmgs.

The invention will be more specifically described in the following with reference to the accompanying drawings which show an embodiment particularly suited to mattresses.

FIG. 1 shows a plan view of the apparatus.

FIG. 2 is a front view taken along the line A-A in FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is an end view of the apparatus seen from the line BB in FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is a cross section through the apparatus taken along the line CC in FIG. 2.

FIG. 5 shows the apparatus with the lid lifted and in the moment when the mattress is being inserted for treatment.

FIGS. 1 and 4 show a rectangular grid-bottom 1 the length and width of which correspond to the length of width of, e.g., standard hospital mattresses, or of other objects to be treated. Suitably, the grid-bottom 1 comprises a frame consisting of two long sides 2 and two short sides 3 welded together. Mounted on their edges between the long sides 2 are fiat bars 4 or the like. A plate 5 secured at the central portion of the grid-bottom 1 is defined on its short sides by the central fiat bars 4 and on the long sides by flat bars 6 or similar members welded between said central flat bars 4. The grid-bottom 1 can be reinforced by stays 7 positioned diagonally on their edges and welded into place.

As can be seen from FIG. 4 the grid-bottom is provided underneath with four stationary lugs 8, and one end of a rubber strap 9 is secured in each of said lugs. Each of the other ends of the four rubber straps 9 is secured to its slug 10 which is securely mounted to the stationary frame 11 of the apparatus. Thus, the gridbottom 1 is freely suspended from the four rubber straps 9 and an electric motor 12 is securely mounted on the rectangular central plate "5 of said bottom 1; said motor 12 having an eccentrically loaded rotor shaft and functioning as a vibrator. The space in the apparatus in which the grid-bottom 1 is suspended is defined by a casing 13 sealingly secured to the frame 11, a horizontal intermediate bottom 14 and a lid 16 pivoted to a hinge so that said space is completely separated from the ambient air. A bellows-like sealing frame 17 connects the four sides of the grid-bottom 1 with the vertical sides of the casing 13 so as to divide the space into two chambers 18 and 19 which can only communicate with each other via the grid-bottom 1 or by the medium of a mattress or some other article placed on the said bottom. Located in the lower space of the apparatus is an electrically driven motor fan 21, the suction nozzle 22 of which is connected to a filter container 23 in which one of the filter inserts 24 formed by a cylindrical shell surface and the bottom is mounted. A lid 25 for the filter container, rotatable about a hinge 26, is held tightly closed against the flange 28 of the opening of the container 23 by means of clamping screws 27, the edge of the opening of the filter insert being clamped securely between the flange 28 and the lid 25.

Connected inside the lid 25 and in constant communication with the space formed by the filter insert 24 and the lid 25 is a conduit 29 which branches out at one end wall of the apparatus into two pipes for instance having rectangular cross section. One pipe 30 passes through the casing 13 of the apparatus into the upper chamber 18 wherein it is provided with slot-like openings 31, whereas the second pipe 32 extends under the intermediate bottom 14 and communicates with the lower chamber 19 through slot openings 33.

Arranged at the junction between the pipes 29, 30 and 32 (FIG. 3) is a choke valve 35 pivotable around its hori- Zontal shaft 34, the operating arm 36 of said valve 35 being pivotally connected, via a link arm 37, with an 3 operating arm 38 on an electrically driven motor 39. In the position of the valve 35 shown in FIG. 3 the suction nozzle 22 of the fan 21 is communicating with the chamber 19 via the filter insert 24, the pipe 29 and the pipe 32 being provided with the slots 33. In the same position of the valve 35 the chamber 18 communicates with the air surrounding the apparatus via slots 31, pipe 30 and a pipe 40 being connected to the junction between the pipes 29, 30 and 32. By allowing the motor 39 to rotate a full turn the valve 35 is switched over so that the chamber 19 will communicate with the surrounding air via tube 32 and tube 40. The chamber 18 then communicates with the suction nozzle 22 of the fan 21 via slots 31, pipe 30, pipe 29 and the filter insert 24.

The exhaust tube 41 from the fan 21 is connected to a vertical branch pipe 42; a valve 44, pivotable about a horizontal shaft 43, being arranged at the junction between the tubes 41 and 42. The operating arm 45 of the valve 44 is pivotally connected, via a link arm 46, to an 7 operating arm 47 on an electrically driven motor 48. Thus the valve 44, by means of the motor 48, can be switched over so that the exhaust air from the fan 21 passes completely or partly through the branch pipe 42. The branch pipe 42 is connected with the vertical pipe 40, valve 50, pivotable about a horizontal shaft 49, being mounted at the connection point. The operating arm 51 of said valve is pivotally connected via a link arm 52 to an operating arm 53 of an electrically driven motor 54. A container 56 is connected to the branch pipe 52 via a conduit 55. The container 56 is intended to contain a liquid disinfectant and at the bottom it is provided with an electric heating element 57 and can be closed at the top by a lid 58. A roll 60 rotatably mounted in bearings 59 (FIG. 2) is mounted along the front of the apparatus. A pressure sensitive member 61 mounted in the suction nozzle 22 of the fan housing 21 is adapted to actuate the motor 48 for the purpose of regulating the position of the valve 44.

The complete apparatus is shown in perspective in FIG. with the lid 16 open. Positioned in front of and along the apparatus is a bed 62 and a hospital attendant 63 shows how a mattress 64, possibly several mattresses placed on top of each other, are introduced into the apparatus, to be cleaned and disinfected. The fan motor, vibrator motor, valve motors, electric heating elements, etc., can naturally be switched on and ofi by separate switches but, in order to utilize fully the saving in labour which the invention offers, should be effected by a programming unit which automatically controls the cleaning and disinfecting operation according to an optionally selected scheme.

The advantages of using such a programming unit for controlling the various phases of the cleaning and disin fecting process will be clearly seen from the following description of an embodiment of a complete cleaning and disinfecting process.

A mattress 64 to be cleaned and disinfected is, as shown in FIG. 5, passed over the roll 60 onto the bottom-grid 1. (The roll 60 can be power driven or possibly replaced by power driven rollers placed between the transversal fiat bars 4 of the grid-bottom 1 to further facilitate the insertion of the mattress.) The lid 16 is closed, the disinfectant container 56 is filled and the programming mechanism started. The hospital attendant can now carry out other tasks whilst the programming mechanism carries out the following sequence of operations.

The vibrator motor 12 is started and transmits its vibrations to the mattress 64 via the grid-bottom 1. At the same time the fan 21 is started and, with the valves 35, 44 and 50 in the position shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, ambient air flows through the vertical pipe 40 via pipe 30 and slots 31 into the chamber 18 and through the mattress 64 placed on the rid-bottom 1 where the particles of dust from said mattress shaken loose by the vibrations to the lower chamber 19 are carried through the slots 33, the cond it 32 and the pipe 29 int h filter con ai e through the filter insert 24, where the carried particles of dust are separated, and through the fan 21 and its outlet pipe 41, which is suitably connected to an evacuation tube, opening at the outside of the building. In the next phase of the program the valve 50 is switched over by means of the motor 54 so that it closes the vertical pipe 40 and prevents penetration of ambient air.

At the same time the valve 44 is switched over, by means of motor 48 so that a portion of the air blown out from the fan 21 is led up through the branch pipe 42 and caused to circulate through the mattress placed on the grid-bottom 1. The motor 48 controls the valve 44 according to impulses from the pressure sensitive member- 61 mounted in the suction nozzle 22 of the fan, so that the air circulating within the apparatus always has a lower pressure than the air surrounding the apparatus. The programming mechanism now switches on the electric element 57 situated inthe container 56. In this manner the disinfectant in the container is evaporated and the vapour is mixed with the air circulating within the apparatus. The mixture of air and disinfectant will now pass through the mattress for the required length of time. In the position of the valve 34 shown in FIG. 3 the fiow passes from the chamber 18 through the mattress to the chamber 19. If the valve 35 is switched over the fiow passes in the opposite direction, which with certain types of mattresses is intended to increase the possibility of the disinfectant reaching all the cavities of the mattress. On termination of the disinfecting period the valves 35, 44 and 50 are switched to the positions shown in FIG. 2 and 3, ambient air flowing through the mattress for drying and for removal of possible odors of disinfectant. When the pre-set program has been completed the vibrator and fan motors stop and an optical or acoustic signal indicates that the mattress is ready to be removed.

Naturally gaseous disinfectants as well as disinfectants sprayed in mist form can also be used. Similarly, vibration, valve positioning, etc., can be carried out with other means than those described.

The grid-bottom 1 can be arranged vertically instead of horizontally, the various members of the apparatus of course being rearranged in a corresponding manner.

The arrangement can also be modified so that the mattress or the like is introduced through an opening in the side of the apparatus casing (see FIG. 5) and removed through an opening in the other side of said apparatus casing (not shown in FIG. 5). To be fully sure that'bacteria and the like do not pass over from the input opening to the discharge opening an additional partition can be arranged between these openings on the outside of the casing.

What we claim isz 1. Apparatus for cleaning and disinfecting articles comprising two compartments separated by partition means for supporting an article to be cleaned and disinfected, openings in the partition for providing communication between the compartments, drive means for creating air flow through the compartments, supply means for spraying disinfectant within the apparatus, and valve means for admitting fresh air to the apparatus, allowing the air to pass through the compartments by way of said openings and to leave the apparatus, said valve means being selectively adjustable to prevent the entry of fresh air while air together with disinfectant is allowed to circulate through the compartments.

. 2. Apparatus according to claim 1 including means for reversing the flow direction through the compartments.

3. Apparatus according to cliarn 1 includin means for ensuring that the flow circulating within the apparatus always has a lower pressure than air surrounding the apparatus.

4. Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the supply means is adapted to supply disinfectant gases.

5. Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said disinfectant supply means includes a container for disinfectant, and heating means received by the container for heating the disinfectant.

6. Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the partition means is arranged generally horizontal.

7. Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the partition means is arranged generally vertically.

8. Apparatus according to claim 1 including means for vibrating the partition means.

9. Apparatus according to claim 1 including an entry opening for the insertion of an article on one side of the apparatus, a discharge opening for the article on an opposite side of the apparatus, and second partition UNITED STATES PATENTS 166,841 8/1875 Barry 15308 1,052,828 2/1913 Jones et al. 21-61 2,728,962 1/1956 MacLeod 2191 3,278,971 10/1966 Drew 15-308 MORRIS O. WOLK, Primary Examiner D. G. CONLIN, Assistant Examiner 

